Nikkormat FT2 camera |
The developer has been diluted for two months, it's time to see if there has been any degradation of the solution over those months. It was not my intention to put the developer on the spot by using an out of date film and then to pick a make of film that I find difficult to get good results with but the die had been cast by the fact that a film had been loaded into my FT3 some time ago and then promptly forgotten about.
Developer has changed colour |
So
what happened? To start with as I poured the developer into the
graduate it was a gorgeous turquoise in colour. This is the second
time I have used this batch of Studional so I have not a clue what
this colour represents, it was clear when it was fresh. For all I
know this could mean that it is dead and buried and the best thing to
do is pour it away. RIP. I carried on anyway no point stopping now. I
need to know what the colour represents. Good or bad?
This
batch of developer had been diluted 1+15 but according to the data
sheet it should be 1+30 for Fomapan 200 processed for 12 minutes plus
20% increase for the age, as the table indicates. Seeing as I have
not taken any notice of the indications this will not work I throw
caution completely to the wind and cut the development time in half
and add 20% which I ignored developing for eight minutes. What the
hell!
Contact print Fomapan 200. |
So
what did you think happened? Well! Yes, you are wrong. I am astounded
these are some of the best negatives I have made with Fomapan 200
they are crisp and punchy or should I say they have a very good tonal
separation, producing some rich blacks as the photographs that
illustrate this post show.
8 X 10 print on Ilford RC gloss |
I
should throw caution to the wind more often if the results are going
to come good like this!